Digital Home Thoughts: These Technologies Tread Where Network Cables Cannot

"When it comes to home networks, one size does not fit all. I had my home built five years ago and spread Gigabit Ethernet-ready CAT5e drops all over the house. I was lucky (or perhaps foolish, considering the present housing market). Most people don’t have this sort of structured wiring in their homes. But most have coax cabling in the walls, and just about everyone who doesn’t live in a tent has power to every room. If all else fails and you’re just not within reach of any plug, there’s WiFi (usually)."

While home networking has become as common-place as stimulus packages, most homes just are not wired to handle the increasing amount of traffic that is fluttering amongst our electronic minions. Sure, you could spend hundreds, likely thousands of dollars outfitting each room with a Gigabit jack, or you could try out some alternatives. Tom's Hardware has done all the hard work for you though, trying out what each technology is generally capable of, including the less frequented Powerline and Coaxial options. Overall, it looks like you get what you pay for, though all options deserve consideration. When it comes down to it though, I am quite certain most people will just end up using a combination of Ethernet where possible, and WiFi everywhere else.